Brokeback Mountain: Our Community's Common Bond > Heath Ledger Remembrance Forum
Heath Ledger's Accidental Overdose - Discussion Thread (Was: Breaking News)
Verona:
--- Quote from: louise van hine on February 06, 2008, 05:34:12 pm ---And there is no indication that Heath has ever been prescribed Oxycontin. I am sorry but your information does not jibe with my knowledge or experience regarding the drug Herr Kaiser. Yes, my friend gets his prescriptions from his doctor, and gets the drugs from a normal chain pharmacy. But discussion of oxycontin is really not relevant here.
--- End quote ---
The TV news here in NYC also just reported "oxycontin." Grrrrr. Oxycodone. Like Percocet.
louisev:
Oxycodone is the active narcotic compound, oxycontin is a specific long-duration compound of pure oxycodone with a buffering agent in the tablet. And yes, oxycodone is the active ingredient in Percodan (which is oxycodone with aspirin) and Percocet (which is oxycodone with acetominophen.) Following an accident I was prescribed Percocet for 6 months - it produces a zombie-like somnolence. If you look up either oxycodone or hydrocodone on Wiki, both of them are contraindicated to take with any tranquilizers or benzodiazepines because of the chance of respiratory and/or heart failure. He not only took two different narcotics but two different benzodiazepines.
Phillip Dampier:
--- Quote from: Mikaela on February 06, 2008, 05:00:09 pm ---At the end of the day, we are responsible for weighing the benefits and the risks of the drugs we take, make informed decisions.... and I just can't fathom someone as bright and gifted and knowledgable and intelligent and overall healthy as Heath downing all that crap that was in his system. Even if doctors prescribed them to him on various occasions. Even if he was having problems sleeping and feeling down. I simply honestly can't understand it. I'm not criticizing Heath here, I'm just totally baffled and confounded and very, very sad. What happened was a horrible tragedy. I just cant understand how that could happen.
--- End quote ---
If he were as stressed and sleep deprived as what some have seemed to speculate, it's not surprising to me that someone under those conditions would not be as clear-thinking about the potential conflicts of prescription medications. I have a tendency to ask my doctor a lot of questions about the medications I take and try to learn as much about them as I can, but I am out of the ordinary. Most people make the assumption the doctor is the expert, ask few questions, and in the case of someone who is young, assume that nothing coming out of a pharmacy is likely to actually kill you. We, not suffering from what Heath apparently was, are in a far better position to understand things he might not, and considering there was no close confidant there living with him, it's probably hard for someone else to notice the potential danger or stop someone from taking such a wide array of medications all at once.
I took a Xanax tablet once just a day or so before my mother died. Coupled with all of the stress of that, when I added a single Xanax tablet into the mix, I was a complete zombie. I wouldn't have thought clearly enough to remember taking any medications, much less worry about what effects they might have.
Phillip Dampier:
--- Quote from: HerrKaiser on February 06, 2008, 05:13:43 pm ---One cannot get a prescription for oxycontin very easily at all. Only a few docs who are pain specialists are able to prescribe it and the presciptions are not able to be filled at the pharmacy. Retail pharmacies do not stock it. The patient needs to go to a hospital to get the pills.
--- End quote ---
I think this depends on the region of the country, Kaiser. Up here, any local CVS will fill an Oxycontin prescription no questions asked. When my mom had to have the methadone, we had to fill that at the hospital, however.
MaineWriter:
--- Quote from: HerrKaiser on February 06, 2008, 05:32:10 pm ---misread my post. Fed law allows only some docs to PRESCRIBE but these docs do not have nor are allowed to distribute oxycontin. And retail pharmacies do not stock it either. If your friend is getting directly from the office doc, very unusual.
--- End quote ---
I actually asked a doctor colleague this question just 30 minutes ago.
Oxycontin is a schedule II narcotic. Any physician with a DEA number can prescribe it, including residents. Certain physician assistants and nurse practitioners are restricted, depending on their scope of practice and the state in which they practice.
It is also available to be dispensed at retail pharmacies. You do not need to go to a hospital pharmacy.
L
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